Shall we Avidly sprint to the sales for some Wise purchases? Trench coats and cover ups, sadly.....

[notyummy]

There we go!

Hi ny. Thanks for the new thread.
I ordered the sweater in a S suburban, on the basis that my stripey one is 'oversized' and an XS wtf. I am no 8 though. I'll have to wait and see.
Weather has turned appalling here again.

Going to be an awful lot of rain over the next 3 days - oh joy.

I know mrs campbellblack!!! And I have a household of small children coming for a birthday party tomorrow........had been hoping for sunshine and to leave them in the garden. Sob!!!! Dubarrys at the ready!

Yes I just hung out some washing that was almost dry and it is now drenched so depressing.

Gap sized is mad isn't it I can be anything between a 4 and a 12 there

Thanks NY!

Have to say, my Petit Bateau raincoat has to be the best new addition to my wardrobe this summer. So depressing.

Thanks for wise words re returning to work. Just need to suck it up and wait for things to get better as the kids get older. Just to clarify - I do see childcare as a joint expense, but phrased it in the terms of my salary being wiped out as that is the new incoming (salary)/outgoing (childcare) to the overall household budget. All our money goes into one big joint pot anyway. Just so you know .

Fascinating 'The Men who made us Fat' BBC2.

Bloss, well done for today! I'm amazed at how quickly you've gotten back into the swing of things.

Red, the feeling of working but not ending up any better off sucks I'm sure but you've got the right idea about taking the long view.

Hopefully, that was so inconsiderate of your mum. She obviously didn't hear your cry for help but instead took the opportunity to offer a dose of 'realism'. She probably meant that in the beginning you were a little bit smug (as most new mothers are) but now you are seeing motherhood for what it really is - hard! In the same way that people who have a really easy baby think they are great parents until number 2 is the complete opposite and they realise that actually it's just pot luck. Do you know what I mean?

Ooh bloss am recording that. Did sound interesting.

We have the playschool fete tomorrow evening 5-7pm. It's looking like the weather will not co-operate but please do keep your fingers crossed. Our fundraising lady resigned half way through the year so nobody organised a fete until last minute and we're desperately short of funds!

Thanks for the advice. Think Chinti & Parker a safer bet than red dress. Statement necklace a great idea and I have one I've worn with that dress before. So I will have a trying on sesh and see. I have a week so should be able to work something out.

I watched it, seems to be based on this book, which oddly enough also has a chapter on Gap's vanity sizing.

Bargainous 811s for Hopefully here

Drat, just seen all the smaller sizes sold out. Sorry.

Morning! Up at silly o'clock with DS2, it's actually sunny though

Pickled if only I had ever had the opportunity to be smug! DS1 was colicky, an appalling sleeper and had horrible gut trouble (still does). Motherhood came as a total shock! It was really only when DS2 came along that I began to think I wasn't too awful at it (and it's saying something when you find the highest needs baby ever a bit of a relief). My mother just hates to miss an opportunity to be negative if there's the tiniest flaw. Ah well, she's off today to go insult my sister instead .

Hopefully, your boys will probably be angst free delightful teenagers .

Marking my place.

Thanks NY

Angst free?! We don't want any of that - I'm hoping they'll lock themselves in their rooms from age 13-18 and I'll just have to keep up a supply of pizzas, clean pants and vintage rock music

Morning.

Thanks for the new thread ny. Trade show sounded v similar to one we used to go to when younger. We used to go round collecting all the freebies (mainly plastic bags iir!) from the stands whilst Mum would fawn over shire horses!

Bloss well done for yesterday. The kids are lucky to have you as a teacher.

Hopefully am at your Mum but like Red, have similar experiences. Not easy to ignore but do try to.

Is Reine around? A friend is hosting another friend's leaving do tomorrow - boat trip followed by a garden party - with Dutch themed food. Im going to attempt - with the emphasis on attempt, to make these tulip cookies on sticks here - icing wont quite look like that tho.

Fritzi what did you decide to do with the floral skinnies?

Everything I loved reading the details of personal space invasion. Please post updates as they happen?

DSs both have a free day from school today. Had planned bike ride and pancake lunch but raining hard. Dont look the look of that big storm coming over from the west. Hope none of you are affected too much.

Gracie has come home. Couldn't stop thinking about her so nipped up to Selfridges this am (promise of Disney store as sweetener for DS, who behaved impeccably) and there was one green and three coral ones left. Nabbed the green. No more spending now. Only things I conceivably need are a swimsuit and some silver shoes, and they can wait til next month. Have bought 3 bags in as many weeks after a year long amnesty! Also picked up this Malene Birger tunic at a snip.

Going home to eBay now!

SE I'm sure you're reading more into your DS's behaviour. We mothers love to make ourselves feel guilty... FWIW I think it sounds like you're doing a grand job. Though, I've just bribed mine to go into C Lon for a handbag so I'm not a mother of the year contender

SE - how old is your DS again? We had a horrible phase (which I think I have recorded on here before) of anger from DD when she was around 3.5. Was a bit flummoxed tbh, as she had been a fairly sunny soul up until then. I think we mainly dealt by the old 'ignoring the bad behaviour, praising the good' thing, although by ignore we did literally put her in her room for short periods, because she got quite disruptive/violent and we needed to manage her. No reaction/attention from us until she was calm.

Amber - an so of the purchases!

Am at work today, which is unusual for a Friday. Have to rush home later for beautification before the Ball. It is an early start - taxi for 6 30 for drinks at 7!

ny Thanks for starting new thread!

bloss See? Told ya! You must get a treat! Trip to R&B?

ollie I'm wearing the floral skinnies today! Think a size bigger would have been better but they have already stretched a bit and I am wearing with a longer lose-fitting top.

seventh Tell us more about your work crush, please! Not the very married one but the other good-looking classic dresser (or am I getting confused and they are the same person!?) Why doesn't exH give DS his bath at his house? Could you go out in the future, maybe if it is even only a 30 minute walk?

hopefully Try to forget about your Mum's comment, I'm sure you are a great Mum. My sister relies on having my Mum for childcare once per week and says it makes their relationship a lot more complicated than it is anyway. She considers rather paying for a babysitter in the future.

amber You are officially queen of sales!

notyummy Which of your fabulous maxis are you going to wear tonight?

Still not sure yet Fritzi! Either my Nougat blue dress (in one of my pics of our Italy holiday last year if anyone is at all interested) or a Top Shop Unique silk dress that I have had for 3/4 years - it has a missoni-esque print.

Argh I just lost a big post

To summerise:

Ollie you are such a lovely friend

Dec sorry your week wasn't as relaxing as you'd hoped. LOVE your bag, it was well worth the wait

Amber knew you'd be flying the W&A flag on the first day of the sales

Bloss well done on the assessment!

SE so glad that water didn't get into your house. Bring your ds to the park in his waterproofs and give him a good run around. Little boys hate to be cooped up in bad weather.

I am being v good this sale season. I have decided that it is a total waste buying lovely summer things if you live in the British Isles, you are setting yourself up for disappointment and frustration, so no more pretty dresses or sandals for me. I bought the Dutti navy floral skinnies in the sale this am, but not sure if I'll keep them, will think over the weekend. The shoes I'd been eyeing up for months are gone in my size, so will try to hunt them down online now.

Hope the weather is cheerier where you are. I am in the same outfit I was wearing in february

NY love your wells, have a great time tonight!

Hopefully my mum is the most tactless person I've ever met, I try to let it wash over me, but it's hard at times. You are doing a great job